One Northern Morning (A Novella) (Southern Nights Novella Series #2) (9 page)

“I’ll do that.” I nod. “Nice to meet you,
Nick.”

“Awesome to meet you,” he replies like a kid in a candy store.

I turn to leave as he shuts the door. Before I try the landlord, I pull my phone out on the way to the elevator, search my contacts and find the one number I haven’t dared to dial in weeks. I press send and hold my breath. Someone answers after a few rings.

“Hello?”

“Lemon . . . ?”

“K
am?”

“Where are you?” he asks immediately.

I look around the airport and pause. Does he know I’m here? “I’m . . . in Seattle.”

“You’re
where?”
He sounds flabbergasted. Maybe he doesn’t know I’m here.

“Seattle,” I say again. “I was going to surprise you. I gave up the internship. I want to try, Kam,” I divulge nervously. I had planned to do this in person, but since he has me on the phone, I might as well spill all my secrets while I have the nerve. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

“Laney.” He breathes, and it sounds pained. I instantly regret every decision I’ve made over the last few weeks. I walk over to the nearest restaurant to get out of the way of the bustling travelers. When I look up at the television, I see Kam’s name flash across the screen.

In an unforeseen turn of events, Kamdyen Ellis, Alabama all-star and first-round draft pick has been traded to New York. In a statement released earlier today by the team, the organization could not be happier to have picked up Ellis and are ecstatic to start the phenom in the upcoming season.

If someone brushed by me at this very moment, I would surely fall over.

“Kam?” My voice is shaky. “Where are
you?”
I am ninety-nine percent sure of the answer, but I just have to hear him say it.

“New York.”

I almost sob.

“I wasn’t letting you go again, Laney. Not without a fight this time.”

“Oh, my god.” I turn straight around and head back to the gate I just deplaned from. “I’m coming back.” I push against the crowd moving in the opposite direction as me. It feels like I’m wading through the ocean, but I don’t care.

“I’ll be at the airport waiting for you.”

I wipe away the tears and giggle. “You better.”

I hang up once I reach the ticket counter. “I need to go back to New York. Right now. The next flight,” I tell the attendant behind the counter. Her eyes widen.

“Is everything all right, ma’am?”

“Yes,” I answer excitedly. “I just need to get home, right away.”

“I wasn’t letting you go again, Laney. Not without a fight this time.”

She types some info into the computer. “Looks like the next flight with open seats leaves for JFK in an hour.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Do you want to know the price of the ticket?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I whip out my credit card. “Book it, please.”

Within a few minutes, I am booked on the flight and hurrying to the gate that is on the other side of the terminal. I make it just in time.

I buckle my seat belt between a very large black man with a fedora and an overweight Hispanic woman munching on french fries. If I was in any other state of mind, this flight would suck, but nothing could ruin my amazing mood. It feels like a boulder has lifted off my chest. I have ached for Kam every second we have been apart. Watching him walk away affected me in ways I couldn’t explain or even comprehend. I just knew I needed to try to make things work. I needed to know if we could really have it all. So, I gave up my apartment in New York, resigned from my internship at the architecture firm, packed my bags, and headed for Seattle not knowing what the future would hold. I was hoping Kam would at least talk to me, see that I made the big gesture, and forgive me for being such an idiot. Forgive me for not trusting in us, or in him, enough to take a leap of faith. I have always been levelheaded. It’s my curse. Sometimes it costs me things, like missed opportunities or the courage to take chances; it almost cost me the man I love.

But not this time. This time we are going to do things right. Kam has a bright future and major responsibilities ahead of him, and my father was right, it’s time that I’m his rock.

I already know he’s mine.

I am nearly jumping out of my seat by the time the plane taxis and pulls up to the gate. I am squished all the way in the back between two people triple my size, but it doesn’t stop me. As soon as we are given the green light to deplane, I jump up and start to push past the other passengers pulling down their luggage from the overhead. Some none too happy with me, but shit that’s life.
Welcome to New York.
The five and a half hour flight was torture. It felt twice as long since all I could think about was Kam.

Once I finally make it through the hallway and into the airport, I literally run. Luckily, my only carry-on was a duffel bag, so it was easy to stow under the seat and sling over my shoulder. I pass the last final exit sign and make it down the escalator where there is passenger pickup. It takes me all of three seconds to spot Kam. He’s standing in the middle of JFK wearing loose jeans, his favorite Roll Tide T-shirt, and a backward hat. He’s circled by a small crowd of fans, asking for autographs. Years ago, this would have upset me—today, I’m elated because I see how happy it makes him. He’s a born star, reveling in the role. There is no denying it and no taking it away from him.

“Kam!” I yell just as I step off the escalator. He looks up at the sound of his name. My feet carry me faster than I anticipate and the crowd parts as we move toward each other. I don’t even try to be modest. I drop my bag, jump into his arms, and plant a kiss right on his lips that mothers have to shield their children’s eyes from. I hear the camera phones snapping away, and know this kiss is going to go viral in nanoseconds, but I couldn’t care less. Right now, the only thing that’s important is
Kam
and
me.

Not his status, or his fans, or the media, or even the team.

What’s most important is just
Kam
and
me. . . .

M
y eyes are still closed when I feel Laney’s lips on my neck. I moan sleepily.

“Morning,” she sings softly, seductively.

“Morning,” I grumble as I grab her hip.

“Time to wake up, sleepyhead.” She grazes her hand over my shorts.

“Persuade me.” I smile with my eyes still closed.

“I plan to.” She covers my mouth with hers. Our tongues duel and our hands roam until there’s nothing separating our bare skin. Laney spoils me. Ever since we got back together, our bond has become stronger. There are no questions, only answers: yes, mine, always, yours, together, forever.

She straddles me, taking the reins. She likes to take control, and I love it when she does. That confidence is what has always drawn me to her; it’s what makes me so fucking hot for her.

She’s all ready to go; no foreplay this morning. Laney knows what she wants and she’s going after it. It isn’t much different outside the bedroom either. She’s a wildfire, a force to be reckoned with.

In one easy move, I’m engulfed in her heat, my body turning over with ecstasy. I pull her against me—one hand on her neck, the other on her lower back—and meet her thrust for thrust. This isn’t going to last long, but it’s going to be intense.

Fucking intense, just like Laney.

“Kam.” She bites my bottom lip and moans as her body stiffens.

“Laney,” I goad her as I slide my hand down to her ass and push her right to the precipice.

“Fuck!” She spasms, coming hard, which prompts my own release. I watch her until I can’t keep my eyes open, until the pleasure drags me under, demanding total control.

How did my life become so perfect? It seems as if I just woke up one day and had everything I ever wanted.

“Morning,” Laney says lazily, resting on my chest.

“I think you said that already.” I breathe heavily.

“Did I?” She laughs. “I can’t remember what happened before five minutes ago.”

“I can walk you through it again if you want to be reminded,” I say salaciously.

“Mmm, I would be all for that, but someone has to get up for training camp.” She pushes off me, but I grab her wrist.

“If it was anything else, I would blow it off to spend the morning in bed with you.”

Laney smiles, her tousled brown hair falling over one side of her flushed face. “I know.”

“Good.”

“Now get up.” She jumps out of bed and drags on my T-shirt. “If we hurry, I can make coffee and we can catch the sunrise.”

“I’ll be out in a minute,” I say, smiling like a stupid fool as she leaves the bedroom. My life really is perfect.

I take a quick shower, throw on my training clothes, and find Laney out on the balcony. Since the stadium is not technically in New York, we decided to rent an apartment in New Jersey, a stone’s throw away from the city. Laney was able to get her internship back, so she takes the ferry across the Hudson every morning. I’ll admit, for a small town boy, I am enjoying the big city. I’m especially enjoying the happiness I see on Laney’s face every time she takes me to one of her favorite places or shares a story from her childhood. Being here, I can picture it all.

Laney hands me my coffee as I put one arm around her. Together, we watch the morning light slowly creep up over the horizon, the buildings turning gold and orange as the entire skyline illuminates right before our very eyes.